The Double Injury: When False Allegations Harm Everyone

In recent days, a high-profile case has reignited debate about false allegations of sexual assault and rape. Though rare, such cases — when proven to be untrue — can have devastating effects on innocent men, their families, and wider public confidence in justice.

A video was circulated of a popular influencer outlining the allegations and boasting that her alleged perpetrator was getting a “taste of his own medicine”. There has since been an interview where the same influencer outlined that she had been a victim of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. Repeatedly.

This is not an excuse to make false allegations.

The damage doesn’t stop there. False allegations also harm genuine survivors, making them more afraid to come forward and feeding harmful myths that sexual violence is “often made up.”

At Serene Futures, we believe that social justice conversations must hold both truths at once: compassion for survivors and fairness for those falsely accused.

We cannot afford to trivialise either harm.

Understanding the Rarity and Complexity of False Allegations

The public often overestimates how common false accusations are — partly due to sensational media coverage. But the data paints a very different picture.

Internationally, rigorous studies suggest that only 2–8 per cent of sexual assault reports are false or baseless (Lisak et al., 2010; National Sexual Violence Resource Centre, 2018).

These figures include a range of definitions — from proven fabrication to cases dropped for lack of evidence — but all show that false reporting is uncommon.

Yet when it does occur, the fallout is immense: loss of livelihood, social ostracism, financial ruin, and lifelong stigma.

For men wrongfully accused, the presumption of guilt can feel inescapable, especially in the age of social media and instant judgement.

What Do the UK Statistics Really Say?

In the UK, this issue remains both under-researched and politically sensitive. Still, available data from the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and independent reviews provide valuable insight.

According to the Home Office’s End-to-End Rape Review (2021), only up to about three per cent of rape allegations are believed to be false — consistent with international averages (Home Office, 2021). Likewise, researchers at The Open University estimate the figure at around four per cent (The Open University, 2023).

Meanwhile, the CPS reviewed a 17-month period in which 5,651 prosecutions for rape were brought — compared with just 35 prosecutions for making false rape allegations (CPS, 2022).

This means that fewer than one in a hundred rape-related prosecutions concerned false reporting.

In 2023 alone, 67,938 rape offences were recorded by police in England and Wales, but only 3,521 resulted in charges — roughly five per cent of reported cases (Victims’ Commissioner, 2023). These figures demonstrate the gulf between reporting and justice: false claims are rare, but failed prosecutions are tragically common.

False allegations, though statistically uncommon, can have life-shattering effects. The wrongful conviction of Andrew Malkinson, imprisoned for 17 years before being exonerated by DNA evidence in 2023, highlights how devastating miscarriages of justice can be (BBC News, 2023).

Such cases fuel distrust — among the public, among survivors, and even among professionals — creating a culture of fear on all sides.

The Chilling Effect on Real Survivors

When false allegations make headlines, genuine survivors often feel the shockwaves. They fear disbelief, backlash or blame — and may decide it is safer to stay silent.

Research shows that exposure to stories of false accusations increases victim-blaming attitudes, particularly among men (Cromer & Freyd, 2007). This “chilling effect” is one of the most damaging outcomes: fewer victims report, investigations collapse, and perpetrators remain unchallenged.

Therefore, the harm spreads twice — first to the innocent falsely accused, and then to the countless survivors who internalise the message that they, too, might not be believed.

Striking a Balanced Approach

Addressing this sensitive issue requires integrity, empathy and nuance. Key steps include:

1. Recognising both harms

Acknowledging that false allegations can devastate innocent lives and that sexual violence is vastly under-reported.

2. Ensuring due process

Investigations must protect complainants while safeguarding against wrongful accusations.

3. Responsible media reporting

Avoiding sensationalism and emphasising verified facts prevents fuelling myths.

4. Support for both sides

Providing trauma-informed care for survivors and reputational or mental-health support for the wrongfully accused.

5. Public education

Dispelling myths about the frequency of false claims encourages empathy and reduces polarisation.

Justice, after all, must serve truth — not popularity, pressure or presumption.

A Reflective Call

False sexual assault allegations are statistically rare, but their impact is profound. They destroy reputations, fracture communities and erode faith in the justice system. Yet allowing such cases to dominate the public narrative also harms real victims, silencing those who most need to be heard.

At Serene Futures, we call for a future-focused approach — one where truth and empathy coexist, where survivors are supported to report safely, and where the innocent are protected from injustice.

Because true justice demands nothing less.

References

BBC News. (2023) Andrew Malkinson: Man cleared of rape after 17 years in prison. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66319280

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). (2022) Key facts about how the CPS prosecutes allegations of rape. [online] Available at: https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/key-facts-about-how-CPS-prosecutes-allegations-rape

Home Office. (2021) End-to-End Rape Review Report on Findings and Actions. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60ed551c8fa8f50c6ef84fbc/end-to-end-rape-review-report-with-correction-slip.pdf

Lisak, D., Gardinier, L., Nicksa, S. & Cote, A. M. (2010) ‘False Allegations of Sexual Assault: An Analysis of Ten Years of Reported Cases.’ Violence Against Women, 16 (12), 1318–1334.

National Sexual Violence Resource Centre (NSVRC). (2018) False Reports: Moving Beyond the Issue to Successfully Investigate and Prosecute Non-Stranger Sexual Assault. [online] Available at: https://www.nsvrc.org/publications/articles/false-reports-moving-beyond-issue-successfully-investigate-and-prosecute-non-s

The Open University. (2023) False Accusations of Sexual Violence – Myths and Realities. [online] Available at: https://research.open.ac.uk/news/false-accusations-sexual-violence

Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales. (2023) The Distressing Truth is That If You Are Raped in Britain Today, Your Chances of Seeing Justice Are Slim. [online] Available at: https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/news/the-distressing-truth-is-that-if-you-are-raped-in-britain-today-your-chances-of-seeing-justice-are-slim/

Cromer, L. D. & Freyd, J. J. (2007) ‘What Influences Belief and Disbelief of Child Sexual Abuse Accounts?’ Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 16 (2), 1–19.

Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse in the UK: Who Are They?

Domestic abuse remains one of the most pressing social issues in the UK, impacting millions of lives each year. While survivors and their needs rightly receive the bulk of attention, understanding the profiles of perpetrators is equally important for shaping prevention strategies, designing effective interventions, and holding abusers accountable.

Yet, when it comes to demographics—particularly around ethnicity and race—the evidence is patchy, inconsistent, and politically sensitive. This post explores what we do know, what remains unclear, and why careful interpretation of statistics is essential.

Domestic Abuse in the UK: The Bigger Picture

In the year ending March 2024, an estimated 2.3 million adults experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales—1.6 million women and 712,000 men (ONS, 2024a).

Women remain disproportionately affected: 6.6% of women compared to 3.0% of men reported abuse in that period (ONS, 2024a).

Police-recorded domestic abuse-related crimes also show that 72.5% of victims were female (ONS, 2024b).

This establishes the clear gendered nature of domestic abuse in the UK—the majority of perpetrators are men, and the majority of victims are women.

Perpetrator Characteristics

Gender and Age

Local studies confirm that perpetrators are overwhelmingly male. For example, in a detailed review of London cases, 78% of suspects were men with an average age of 36 (Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, 2022).

Repeat Offending

Domestic abuse is rarely a one-off. Women’s Aid analysis showed that 83% of perpetrators had more than one recorded incident, and a significant proportion were chronic reoffenders (Women’s Aid, 2021).

Race and Ethnicity: What the Data Shows (and Doesn’t)

Victim Data for Context

The government’s Ethnicity Facts and Figures service (drawing on Crime Survey data) found in 2023:

Mixed ethnic group: 7.9% reported domestic abuse victimisation.

Black ethnic group: 3.5%.

Asian ethnic group: 2.0%.

White ethnic group: 4.4% (the national average) (Gov.uk, 2023).

While this relates to victims, not perpetrators, it shows disparities in exposure and reporting across ethnic groups.

Homicide and Serious Abuse

The VKPP Domestic Homicide Project (2022) analysed 294 domestic homicide cases. 80% of victims were White, but Asian and Black victims were proportionally over-represented compared to population share. In adult family homicide cases, 33% of suspects were Black (VKPP, 2022).

This suggests possible ethnic disproportionality in the most severe forms of abuse, though caution is needed given small sample sizes.

Policing and Justice Bias

The Lammy Review (2017) highlighted disparities in the criminal justice system, noting that Black men are three times more likely to be arrested than White men. In domestic abuse contexts, this raises questions about whether recorded perpetrator ethnicity reflects actual prevalence or structural bias (Lammy, 2017).

Key Challenges in Interpreting the Data

1. Underreporting: Domestic abuse is chronically underreported across all groups, but cultural stigma, immigration status, and language barriers may make minority groups even less likely to engage with police or services.

2. Recording Gaps: Many police forces fail to record ethnicity consistently, and large proportions of “unknown” entries limit reliability of the stats.

3. Overrepresentation vs. Structural Bias: Where minority groups appear overrepresented in arrests or prosecutions, it is often unclear whether this reflects higher perpetration or differential policing.

4. Risk of Stereotyping: Focusing on ethnicity without nuance risks fuelling harmful racial stereotypes, which can silence victims and reduce trust in services.

Moving Forward

What is clear is that domestic abuse in the UK is primarily perpetrated by men, and that while ethnicity data points to some disproportionalities, it is incomplete and fraught with biases. The most urgent priorities are:

• Improving recording practices across police and courts.

• Investing in culturally competent services for survivors.

• Developing perpetrator programmes that are accessible and effective for men from all backgrounds.

Ultimately, perpetrators must be understood as individuals, shaped by gender norms, inequality, and personal responsibility—not reduced to simplistic demographic labels.

References

Gov.uk (2023) Domestic abuse victims by ethnicity. Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/crime-justice-and-the-law/crime-and-reoffending/domestic-abuse-victims/latest (Accessed: 28 September 2025).

Lammy, D. (2017) The Lammy Review: An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system. London: HM Government.

Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (2022) A deep dive into domestic abuse in London. London: MOPAC.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2024a) Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2024. Newport: ONS.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2024b) Domestic abuse victim characteristics, England and Wales: year ending March 2024. Newport: ONS.

VKPP (2022) Domestic Homicide Project: Spotlight briefing on ethnicity. London: Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme.

Women’s Aid (2021) The Domestic Abuse Report 2021: The Annual Audit. London: Women’s Aid.

Domestic Abuse in the Digital World: The Rise of Tech-Facilitated Domestic Abuse

When we think of domestic abuse, many people picture physical violence behind closed doors. But in today’s world, abuse doesn’t always leave bruises — it can arrive as a text message, a GPS tracker, or a hacked smart-home device. This is what we call technology-facilitated domestic abuse (TFDA).

TFDA happens when abusers misuse digital tools — phones, apps, social media, even smart speakers and doorbells — to stalk, harass, impersonate, and control their partners. It’s a growing issue across the UK, and one that survivors and services are only just beginning to fully recognise.

The Numbers Behind the Abuse

In the year ending March 2024, an estimated 2.3 million adults in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse (ONS, 2024). Increasingly, technology plays a role in that harm:

- Over 55% of survivors surveyed by Women’s Aid said they had experienced tech abuse. - Almost three in ten reported that the abuse started or escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Refuge’s Tech Safety team saw a 258% increase in tech-abuse referrals between 2020 and 2022.

Regional Realities: London, Bedfordshire and Beyond

Location matters.

- London: Lowest recorded DA-related crime rate in England and Wales (10.7 per 1,000).

But Londoners are less likely to recognise or report TFDA.

- Bedfordshire: DA-related crime rate is 11 per 1,000. Domestic abuse makes up 34% of all violence against the person offences.

- England & Wales overall: Police recorded 851,062 DA-related crimes in 2024 — 15.8% of all police-recorded crime.

The Experience of Black Communities

Statistics also show that ethnicity can shape experiences of abuse.

- 6.2% of Black Caribbean respondents reported domestic abuse in the past year (above the national average of 4.4%).

- 2.8% of Black African respondents reported abuse.

When it comes to online abuse, Black women are particularly vulnerable.

Amnesty and Glitch found that Black women are 84% more likely to experience online abuse than white women.

Protecting Yourself Online

While the responsibility should never fall on survivors alone, there are steps that can help improve digital safety:

✔ Check device and app permissions regularly.

✔ Change passwords often and use two-factor authentication.

✔ Turn off location sharing unless absolutely necessary.

✔ Adjust social media privacy settings.

✔ Keep evidence — screenshots and logs can support legal action.

✔ Seek help: Refuge’s Tech Safety team and the National DA Helpline (0808 2000 247).

Why This Matters

Tech-facilitated domestic abuse strips away privacy, safety, and autonomy. Survivors describe the constant intrusion of being watched, tracked, or impersonated as just as damaging as physical violence.

At Serene Futures, we believe that raising awareness of TFDA is essential — for survivors, practitioners, and policymakers alike. Because no one should have to feel unsafe in their own digital world.

SOURCES

Office for National Statistics (2024) Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2024. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Women’s Aid (2020) A Perfect Storm: Technology, domestic abuse and COVID-19. Women’s Aid Federation of England. Available at: https://www.womensaid.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Refuge (2022) Annual Impact Report 2022. Refuge. Available at: https://refuge.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Refuge (2025) Survey on recognition and reporting of domestic abuse in London. Refuge. Available at: https://refuge.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Amnesty International and Glitch (2020) Toxic Twitter: Black women and online abuse. Amnesty International UK and Glitch. Available at: https://www.glitchcharity.co.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (2024) Annual crime data summary 2024. Bedfordshire PCC. Available at: https://www.bed

fordshire.pcc.police.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Misogynoir in the UK: What it is, how it shows up, and what we can do about it

Misogynoir is the specific form of anti-Black misogyny directed at Black women and those read as Black women. The term was coined by scholar Moya Bailey to describe the overlap of racism and sexism that shapes how Black women are portrayed and treated — especially in media and digital culture.

Where we see misogynoir in the UK

1) Politics and online abuse

Online spaces amplify misogynoir. Amnesty International’s multi-year work on abuse against women in UK public life found that Black women politicians and journalists are disproportionately targeted. In their large 2018 “Troll Patrol” study with Element AI, one in ten tweets mentioning Black women in the UK/US sample was abusive or “problematic,” and Black women were far more likely to receive such abuse than white women. Diane Abbott’s experience has been repeatedly highlighted; during the 2017 election period she received nearly half of all abusive tweets sent to women MPs.

The chilling effect is real: abuse drives women to self-censor or leave platforms, silencing Black women’s voices in public debate.

2) Policing and public institutions

Independent reviews have documented cultures that enable racism and misogyny. The Casey Review concluded in March 2023 that the Metropolitan Police is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. Subsequent inquiries — including the Angiolini Inquiry (Part 1, 2024) and IOPC investigations — set out how failures in vetting, culture and standards create risk for women, and erode public trust, especially among Black communities.

3) Health and maternity outcomes

The UK continues to report stark racial disparities in maternal outcomes. The most recent MBRRACE-UK data show Black women are still around twice as likely to die during pregnancy or up to six weeks after as white women (inequalities persisted in 2021–23). While the gap has narrowed from earlier periods, it remains unacceptable — and Black women and advocates have consistently linked lived experiences of stereotyping, not being believed, and inadequate pain relief to systemic bias.

4) Workplaces and progression

At work, misogynoir shows up in blocked progression, harsher discipline, and hostile cultures. Broken Ladders (Fawcett Society & Runnymede Trust) documents widespread racism against women of colour across the career pipeline, with significant impacts on wellbeing and motivation.

5) Education and everyday policy

Hair policies have long policed Black girls’ bodies. The Equality and Human Rights Commission issued guidance telling schools to stop hair discrimination, clarifying that banning natural/protective styles without racial exceptions is likely unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. This matters: exclusion and punishment over Afro hair are not “neutral rules” — they’re racialised and gendered harms.

Why naming it matters

Naming misogynoir helps us move from “bad apples” to systems. It explains why a Black woman can be stereotyped as “aggressive” for asserting herself at work, dismissed in clinical settings, or targeted online for simply existing in public — and why policies that look “neutral” can still harm Black women disproportionately.

What works: Practical steps for UK organisations

Measure and act on disparities.

Publish disaggregated data (recruitment, pay, progression, disciplinary actions, complaints) and set targets with accountability. Broken Ladders offers concrete employer actions to reduce bias in hiring and progression.

Create safer digital participation.

Implement robust anti-abuse policies for staff/public engagement; adopt platform-independent reporting routes and support affected employees (counselling, legal advice). Amnesty’s findings show the cost of inaction.

Strengthen safeguarding in policing and public services.

Embed recommendations from the Casey and Angiolini reviews: tighten vetting; enforce zero tolerance for racism/misogyny; resource independent oversight; protect whistleblowers.

Make maternity care culturally safe.

Co-design services with Black female professionals and Black mothers; mandate listening standards; monitor outcomes and experiences (complaints, pain relief decisions) by ethnicity; invest where risk is higher, as highlighted by MBRRACE-UK.

Fix policies that police Black identity.

Align school and workplace codes with EHRC guidance on hair and appearance; audit uniforms/dress codes for indirect discrimination.

Support survivor-led reforms.

Back campaigns like Valerie’s Law (specialist training for agencies supporting Black victims of domestic abuse) and build partnerships with Black-led services.

If you’ve experienced this:

• Document everything. Keep records of incidents, messages, and decisions.

• Know your rights. Equality Act 2010 protects you from race and sex discrimination; schools and public bodies have Public Sector Equality Duties. Use EHRC guidance when challenging policies.

• Seek support. Contact specialist organisations (e.g., Black-led VAWG services, legal clinics, trade unions) and consider formal complaints or legal advice.

• Complete our contact form to be signposted to support.

For Employers and Business Owners

Here at Serene Futures, we can support your organisation towards understanding Misogynoir.

We can offer in-person training to educate your workforce on what it looks like in practice, and how to reframe pre-existing thoughts and behaviours towards a more inclusive and aware environment.

References

Amnesty International (2018) Crowdsourced Twitter study reveals shocking scale of online abuse against women. 18 Dec. Available at: amnesty.org (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Amnesty International (2018) Toxic Twitter: Violence and abuse against women online (report). Available at: amnesty.org (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Amnesty International UK (2017) Black and Asian women MPs abused more online. Available at: amnesty.org.uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Bailey, M. (2010–2014) Misogynoir (definition and commentary). Available at: moyabailey.com (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Casey, L. (2023) The Baroness Casey Review: An independent review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the Metropolitan Police Service. London: MPS. Available at: met.police.uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Equality and Human Rights Commission (2022, updated 2023/24) Preventing hair discrimination in schools (guidance). Available at: equalityhumanrights.com (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

MBRRACE-UK (2025) Maternal mortality data brief 2021–2023. Oxford: NPEU. Available at: npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

MBRRACE-UK (2024) Maternal mortality data brief 2020–2022. Oxford: NPEU. Available at: npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Angiolini, E. (2024) The Angiolini Inquiry: Part 1 Report. London: HM Government. Available at: gov.uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

Fawcett Society & Runnymede Trust (2022) Broken Ladders: The myth of meritocracy for women of colour in the UK workplace. Available at: fawcettsociety.org.uk; runnymedetrust.org (accessed 27 Sept 2025).

House of Commons Library (2022) Debate on e-petition: support for Black victims of domestic and sexual abuse (‘Valerie’s Law’). Briefing CDP

-2022-0065. Available at: commonslibrary.parliament.uk (accessed 27 Sept 2025).